Be Conduit of Good: Join LED’s Digital Literacy Movement
Hola Familia:
I’m César Vargas —a writer, advocate, strategist, and social critic who has dedicated my life to elevating marginalized voices and challenging harmful narratives. In a world where truth is often overshadowed by deception, our communities are under siege by forces that profit from disinformation and manipulation. The political climate grows more divisive, and social media platforms have become battlegrounds where lies spread faster than facts.
Why LED: Luz y Empoderamiento Digital?
We’ve reached a critical moment in history. The war for our attention is real and vicious. Algorithms amplify extreme views, creating echo chambers that distort reality and polarize us further. Disinformation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a weapon used to keep us distracted and divided, preventing us from addressing the real issues that plague our communities.
LED: Luz y Empoderamiento Digital is more than an initiative; it’s a movement dedicated to illuminating the truth and empowering our communities with the tools to navigate the digital landscape critically and safely. “New Media Literacy” isn’t just a tagline—it’s a call to action.
How Your Support Will Make an Impact
Your contributions will fuel a revolution against disinformation:
• Launch Empowering Workshops: We’ll conduct hands-on workshops tailored to our communities, teaching essential skills to recognize and combat disinformation. For example, $25,000 sponsors five workshops, educating 250 individuals. $50,000 enables ten workshops, empowering 500 people.
• Create Digital Literacy Resources: We’ll produce accessible, culturally relevant content—from engaging videos to comprehensive guides—that inform and educate.
• Strengthen Our Community Outreach: Utilizing both digital and in-person strategies, we’ll reach those who need this knowledge most, leveraging trusted platforms within our communities.
• Invest in Technology and Infrastructure: We’ll bridge the digital divide by providing essential tools, making media literacy accessible to everyone.
Where the Money Goes
Every dollar is a step towards liberation:
• Workshops and Educational Content: Funding covers expert facilitators, materials, and technology to make our sessions impactful.
• Technology and Infrastructure: We’ll invest in essential tools to ensure media literacy is accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status.
• Operational and Outreach Costs: Contributions help secure affordable office space, equipment, and fair compensation for our dedicated team.
• Community Engagement Activities: Supporting events and collaborations that foster unity and collective action against disinformation.
Why Me? Why Now?
I’ve spent my career challenging the status quo and advocating for our people. Named one of the “40 Under 40: Latinos in American Politics ,” my work has reached millions, sparking necessary conversations. As a Salinas Scholar at the Aspen Institute, I’ve pushed boundaries to bring new perspectives to the forefront. I’ve witnessed firsthand how disinformation devastates our communities —it fuels hate, divides families, and keeps us in perpetual servitude.
The political and social media landscapes aren’t just changing—they’re eroding the very fabric of our communities. Powerful entities are investing heavily in spreading disinformation, profiting off our confusion and pain. The time to act is now. We can’t afford to be passive consumers in this war for truth.
Our mission ensures that LED is both impactful and sustainable. We’re not just another initiative seeking funds without accountability. Every dollar counts, and we’re committed to transforming lives by equipping people with the digital literacy skills they need to navigate and challenge harmful narratives. Transparency and community engagement are at the heart of everything we do.
Donation Tiers
To show our appreciation for your support, we offer the following tiers:
1. Supporter ($25+): Personalized thank-you email and exclusive campaign updates.
2. Ally ($50+): Recognition on our website as a valued supporter and a digital badge.
3. Advocate ($100+): Social media acknowledgment and a special shoutout.
4. Champion ($500+): Access to a webinar on digital literacy and a thank-you video.
5. Guardian ($1,000+): Invitation to a VIP virtual event and recognition as a “Community Guardian.”
6. Patron ($5,000+): Access to exclusive events and acknowledgment in our annual report.
7. Benefactor ($10,000+): Sponsorship opportunities for workshops and naming recognition.
8. Visionary ($25,000+): Invitation to join our Advisory Circle, helping shape our mission.
9. Luminary ($50,000+): Special recognition as a foundational supporter, leaving a lasting legacy.
Final Call to Action
Disinformation is a poison that’s infecting our communities, but we have the antidote. LED: Luz y Empoderamiento Digital is a revolutionary movement dedicated to enlightening and empowering our people. If you believe in the power of truth, if you understand that real empowerment starts with being informed, then stand with us.
Your support isn’t just a donation—it’s an investment in a future where our communities are informed, resilient, and free from the chains of manipulation. Let’s combat the evils of disinformation together by empowering ourselves and each other.
Join us. Invest in a movement that seeks not only to inform but to transform.
Contribute today and be part of this revolutionary change.
Un fiel servidor,
César Vargas
P.S. For more information (deck, expenses and income breakdown, hybrid model), feel free to reach out to me directly. Let’s change the world for the better together.
Additional Ways to Contribute Financially Besides our GoFundMe, there are other convenient methods for financial support:
Zelle: vargas365@gmail.com
Cash App: $vargas365
PayPal: CesarVargas365
César Vargas is a distinguished writer, advocate, strategist, and social critic, celebrated for his influential voice in modern Latinx America. His insightful social criticism spans a broad spectrum of topics including geopolitics, race, ethnicity, immigration, and culture. His work resonates across various platforms and communities, engaging editors, writers, journalists, celebrities, activists, artists, executives, politicians, professors, students, and more.
Recognized as one of the '40 Under 40: Latinos in American Politics' by the Huffington Post, his writings have been featured in prestigious publications like the 'Bedford Guide for College Writers' and 'Caribbean Latino Perspectives in the Second Decade of the 21st Century'. His essays and articles have been published and quoted in NBC, Fox News Latino, Voxxi, Okayafrica, Okayplayer, The Huffington Post, Sky News, Salon, The Guardian, Latino Magazine, Latino Rebels, Vibe, The Hill, BET, and his own widely-followed online magazine, UPLIFTT, reaching millions globally.
He is known for creating content that goes viral, thanks to his unique perspective on documenting contemporary issues. His work, which played a pivotal role in bringing Afrolatinidad to the mainstream, is taught in high schools and colleges and shared widely, including in state prisons. His contributions to the arts were acknowledged with two awards from Fusion and the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts for his short films 'Some Kind of Spanish' and 'Black Latina Unapologetically'.
As a Salinas Scholar at the Aspen Institute's Latinos & Society, he continues to push boundaries and inspire change. His academic background in Film Studies from Queens College, CUNY, underpins his diverse skill set.
Beyond his professional achievements, Vargas is deeply committed to philanthropy. He has raised and distributed funds for various causes, including supporting Haitians in Sosúa, his birthplace. This commitment to social good has piqued the interest of publishing houses, MacArthur Fellows, and major foundation leaders, leading to the ongoing development of his personal memoir.
Currently residing in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Delmy, and their son, Omari, Vargas continues to be a dynamic voice and advocate, championing diverse causes and shaping the narrative around Latinx issues in America and beyond.
Publications:
(Salinas Scholar, reviewed writings of Emily Raboteau’s
“Personal Essay” workshop)
Bedford Guide for College Writers
(Essay: How First- and Second-Generation Hispanics Can Help Each Other)
UPLIFTT (Own online magazine)
www.cesarvargas365.com (Personal website with essays)
Clients (from work experience):
Hispanic Wealth Project
NAHREP
L’ATTITUDE
d exposito & Partners
Catie Waters
AARP
Tajín
L'ATTITUDE
Balsera Communications
America's Health Rankings
United Health Foundation
RadioShack
NHFA
LISTA
Research Alliance for New York City Schools
Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City
Being Latino
Hispanicize
National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts
Twitter
Latino Rebels